Rosenberg



March 10, 1964 B. ROSENBERG 3,124,225

SAMPLE CASES Filed June 17, 1963 I INVENTOR BERNARD ROSENBERG HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0.

3,124,225 SAMPLE CASES Bernard Rosenberg, Teaneclr, N..l., assignor to Win-Che Industries, Inc, Moonachie, N.J., a corporation of New i'ersey Filed June 17, 1963, Ser. No. 288,374 3 Qlairns. (Cl. 190-16) This invention relates to sample cases, and more particularly, to an improvement in sample cases by which objects may be included in the case for display in addition to those for which the case was originally specifically designed.

In the United States patent to A. L. Elliott for Demonstration Device, No. 2,935,165 granted May 3, 1960, there is disclosed a sample case for carrying and displaying generally fiat objects such as model doors or windows, draperies, siding, roofing or other building materials, and the like. More particularly, the device includes an in.- terior rectangular frame which has grooves extending longitudinally in the outer face of each side and a housing consisting of front and back panels. The panels include side channel members having inwardly directed flanges which are engageable within the side groove of the interior frame and are hinged along their top edge so that they can be spread apart to form a triangular stand for supporting the frame in an upstanding position above the top edge of the housing. When the two panel parts of the housing are brought together the frame slides down into the housing. The housing is held together by the engagement of the flanges on the channel members in the longitudinal grooves of the frame.

One of the advantages of the sample case is its compact structure. The interior frame need only be sufiiciently wide to accommodate the flat object which is installed therein. The case is compact and light in weight, making it readily portable and therefore desirable for use by sales personnel.

A significant disadvantage of the device, however, is that its structure is not adapted for displaying objects in addition to the large flat objects for which it is principally designed. For example, it is desirable when displaying a double hung window to display the hardware or sample frame sections or the like separately, in conjunction with the complete window sample carried within the frame. This disadvantage is overcome, in accoradnce with the invention, by providing an improvement in cases of this type whereby additional objects may be carried and dis played without substantially altering the device itself, that is, without increasing the dimensions, particularly the depth, and without affecting its principal use.

A sample case, in accordance with the invention, is provided with a display panel carrying the additional objects and which is hingedly fastened to the frame so that it can be pivoted between a position in which it overlies an open portion of the main object carried by the frame and a position in which objects mounted on the panel are displayed adjacent the main object, that is, in which the panel projects outwardly from the frame. The panel can be provided on the case whenever the main object carried in the case includes an opening suificient to accommodate the additional object or objects fastened on the hinged panel.

For example, in a double hung window both of the window panels and the screen panel may be positioned in the same half of the frame, thereby leaving an opening of approximately one half of the area encompassed by the case frame. The panel is pivoted to overlie the opening in the window frame, and the objects project therethrough.

The utility and convenience of the basic sample case are in no way inhibited by the provision of the panel,

and when the object, such as a double hung window, is being displayed, the panel is swung out of the way so that the operation of the object can be demonstrated. However, when the case is closed for transporting, the panel is readily accommodated within the open space. When a number of objects are carried in the case, they can be slidably mounted therein and moved to overlie each other to leave an opening for additional objects when the sample case is closed. The addition of a panel to the sample case disclosed in the patent referred to above can be readily accomplished at little expense, and the improved versatility resulting, which permits incorporating additional objects for demonstration, is of great benefit to the user.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the figures of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a sample case having a display panel installed thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an end view in section of the case when it is closed and. showing the panel folded into the case, the section taken along a plane through the case adjacent a side frame member thereof; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in section taken along a plane similar to that of FIGURE 2, and showing the case opened and panel opened out for demonstration of the object carried thereon.

Referring to FIG. 1, the sample case, which is similar to that disclosed in the Elliott patent referred to above, includes a rectangular interior frame .10 consisting of side members 12 and 12', a top member 14 and a bottom member 16. The frame may also include a decorative and protective top piece 18 fastened to the top member 14. The outer surfaces of the side members 12 include longitudinally extending grooves 22.

When the sample case is in open position (FIGS. 1 and V 3), a housing 24, consisting of a front panel 26 and rear panel 28 hinged together at their tops, forms a triangular stand upon which the frame 10 is supported. At each side of the panels 26 and 28 is a channel-shaped member 26a, 26b and 28a, 28b, respectively, having an inwardly directed flange which is engaged within the groove 22 in each of the side members 12 and 12 of the frame 10 when the panels 26 and 28 are brought together and the frame It is slid into the space between them, the tops of the panels 26 and 28 being open. At the bottoms of the panels 26 and 28 are channel-shaped members 26c and 280.

The hinged connection between the panels 26 and 28 is provided by links 29 fastened by pins 29' between the side members 26a and 28a and between the side members 2611 and 28b. Springs 50 are connected between each pair of side members above the hinge links 29 to urge the lower ends of the panels 26 and 28 apart when the interior frame 10 is slided upwardly out of the housing 24. A collapsible, lockable linkage 52 connects the panels 26 and 28 and holds them in open position to form the triangular stand for supporting the interior frame 10 thereon.

When the panels 26 and 28 are so spread apart, the flanges of the side channel-shaped members cooperate with a triangular shaped notch (not shown) at the lower end of the grooves 22 in the side members 12 and 12' of frame 10 to support the frame in its upper position and prevent it from tipping over. Reference may be had to FIGS. 6 and 7 of the Elliott patent, supra, which illustrates a suitable arrangement.

Mounted within the frame 10 is a storm window and screen structure 30. Referring to FIG. 2, the window 30 includes a screen panel 32 and two glass panels 34 and 3 36, each of which is slidable in tracks in the window frame.

A display panel 38 is attached by hinges 40 to the bottom member 16 of the frame 10. The panel 38 is mounted so that it folds down and is supported on the front panel 26 of the housing 24 when the case is opened, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and lies adjacent the inner surface of the panel 26 when the case is closed, as shown in FIG. 2. Fastened to the display panel 38 are objects 42, in this case, segments of the window frame extrusion. Objects having a dimension in a direction normal to the surface of the panel 38 just a little less than that between the Walls of the housing minus the thickness of the panel 38, are readily accommodated within the case.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be observed that the panel 38 lies against the front panel 26 of the housing 24 when the sample case is opened for demonstration of the window 30 and in no way interferes with that demonstration. When the sample case is closed, as shown in FIG. 2, the screen and glass panels 32, 34 and 36 are all moved to the upper half of the window frame. Therefore, the lower half of the window remains open so that the objects 42 are readily accommodated, projecting through the opening previously occupied by one or more of the window panels.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the above described embodiment is susceptible of considerable modification and variation without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the display panel need not be attached to-the bottom frame member for pivoting about a horizontal axis but may be attached to either of the side frame members for opening out to the side or to the top frame for opening upwardly. Additionally, more than one panel may be provided, such as panels of approximately half the width of the case attached to each side frame member. These and other modifications are intended to be within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sample case having an interior frame, an outer housing which includes a front panel and a back panel spaced apart and hingedly connected at their top ends to provide a supporting stand for the interior frame, and at least one member mounted in the frame, said member including an opening therein, the combination therewith of a display panel hingedly attached to the frame for pivotal movement between a first position in which it overlies the opening in the member and a second position in which it projects outwardly from the frame, and at least one object mounted on the surface of said display panel which faces inwardly when said display panel is folded into said frame, said object positioned on said display panel so that it projects through the opening when said display panel is in said second position.

2. In a sample case having an interior frame consisting of side members, a top member, and a bottom member, an outer housing which includes a front panel and a back panel spaced apart and hingedly connected together adjacent their top ends to provide a supporting stand for the interior frame, and a double hung window assembly installed in the frame, said window assembly including at least two panel parts movable between the top portion and the bottom portion thereof, the combination therewith of a display panel hingedly connected to the frame adjacent the front panel of the housing, said display panel movable between a closed position in which at least a portion thereof overlies the opening created when the window panel parts overlie each other and leave an opening defined by the frame of the window and edges of the panel parts and an open position wherein said display panel projects outwardly from the frame, and objects mounted on the surface of said display panel which faces inwardly toward the window when said panel is folded into said closed position and projecting into the opening in the window.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein said panel is hingedly connected to the bottom frame member and pivots about a horizontal axis between a closed position adjacent the bottom portion of the frame and an open position adjacent the outer face of said front wall part of the housing, said panel being supported by the housing when it is in the open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,012,606 Davis Dec. 26, 1911 1,360,532 Isaacs Nov. 30, 1950 2,707,538 Mayer May 3, 1955 2,935,165 Elliott May 3, 1960 

1. IN A SAMPLE CASE HAVING AN INTERIOR FRAME, AN OUTER HOUSING WHICH INCLUDES A FRONT PANEL AND A BACK PANEL SPACED APART AND HINGEDLY CONNECTED AT THEIR TOP ENDS TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTING STAND FOR THE INTERIOR FRAME, AND AT LEAST ONE MEMBER MOUNTED IN THE FRAME, SAID MEMBER INCLUDING AN OPENING THEREIN, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF A DISPLAY PANEL HINGEDLY ATTACHED TO THE FRAME FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT OVERLIES THE OPENING IN THE MEMBER AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH IT PROJECTS OUTWARDLY FROM THE FRAME, AND AT LEAST ONE OBJECT MOUNTED ON THE SURFACE OF SAID DISPLAY PANEL WHICH FACES INWARDLY WHEN SAID DISPLAY PANEL IS FOLDED INTO SAID FRAME, SAID OBJECT POSITIONED ON SAID DISPLAY PANEL SO THAT IT PROJECTS THROUGH THE OPENING WHEN SAID DISPLAY PANEL IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION. 